Crying Baby, Hidden Whammy
by Bumpkin
Summary: An AU snippet from Naomi’s perspective – Blair was a difficult child to raise, no matter the universe, by no fault of his own.


AN: This is an AU snippet that I dreamed up –literally – and put to keyboard. I initially thought that I would find someway to put it into a longer fic – or make it a part of a series – but I don't seem to have the creative juices to figure out what I want to do other than this. I must admit that many other fabulous authors preceding me were probably the inspiration, like Susan Foster, CD Stewart, and Legion and others too numerous to name.

Disclaimers: Still not mine…  and still poor as a churchmouse.

Description: An AU snippet from Naomi's perspective - Blair was a difficult child to raise, no matter the universe, by no fault of his own.

Crying Baby, Hidden Whammy  
By Marnie Rowe AKA Bumpkin  
Rated: PG

Naomi's head snapped up at a familiar sound. 'Oh no!' Her wee babe, Blair, was crying and she just knew one of the monks would pick him up to try and comfort him with a cuddle. That wouldn't be a good thing. No, definitely not a good thing.

She had left him peacefully sleeping on the temple's stoop and here she was all the way at the far end of the meditation garden. The peace of the monastery had lulled her into a false sense of serenity and she had dropped her guard. Naomi cursed silently to herself as she struggled to her feet from where she had been sitting in a full lotus. Thanking all the gods that she knew of when she finally managed to make it to her feet that she was young and limber to have no lingering ill affects from her prolonged stay in such a pose, she began to make her way hurriedly through the garden to her distressed child. She only hoped that she got there in time, which in her mind was before any of the good brothers could. Somehow she didn't think that she would, but she could hope.

The monks of this little Buddhist monastery had been more than generous, allowed her and her curly haired cherub of a six-month-old son to stay with them. They hadn't asked any questions of her either, even though Naomi thought that they might have some rather hot and heavy betting action going on amongst themselves about whether or not she was on the run and if she was, what from – or whom. Somehow she didn't think they would ever guess correctly, not without a whammy of a clue. A clue that one just might get, if the poor brother picked up her crying child.

'Damn, damn, damn!' Naomi supposed she wasn't using the best mantra for setting a pace, but it was the only one coming to mind. She really needed to get to her baby. 'Aha!' Blair was in sight and it looked like she just might make it. But then the 'Abbot' of the monastery came around the corner of the temple. Seeing Naomi on her way he must have thought to help her out by picking the wailing baby up to hand the child to her. Naomi groaned, knowing what was going to happen next. As soon as the Abbot's hands closed around the baby and lifted him into a secure hold, Blair stopped crying like a record being shut off.

It was in the echoing silence that the Abbot turned wide and stunned eyes on the young mother. Naomi flinched. All the abbot did was mildly say, "So now I understand."

Naomi was sure that he did. She knew that as soon as Blair had felt the human contact that her son would stop crying and would have started to project his distress empathically. Pale and shaking with stress, Naomi reached for her baby. He handed Blair off to her with what looked like a small sigh of relief. The young mother stifled the small smile the wanted to break through, Blair could be a bit overpowering to the un-initiated. Even at a bare six months of age Blair was a little powerhouse, so to someone who wasn't used to his manner of communicating, it was rather like being hit upside the head with a two-by-four.

In some ways having such a powerful empath for a child was a blessing. You certainly were never left guessing at what they wanted or needed. But then in others, it could be a curse. Like when every major corporation and government of the world hunted for you relentlessly because of it. Naomi wondered if her time of peace was up. Was she going to have to start running again? She didn't want to. She had really liked it here. It was - peaceful. Her shoulders slumped as her mood darkened.

"Sister Naomi," the Abbot's voice drew her back up from her mental downward spiral. "You have nothing to fear, you are still more than welcome here."

Naomi blinked and then as his words sank in, smiled brightly at him. "Thank you," was all she was able to say though. Then the old man surprised her by smiling impishly as he said,

"In fact, if you are planning on extending your stay with us my dear, you may want to talk much with Brother Laos. He might be able to teach you a rather special series of meditations and mental exercises."

Then whistling jauntily he turned and walked away while Naomi stood on the temple stoop with her mouth hanging open.

End


End file.
